Fiona Everett and Micah Deibell hold their new kittens, twin sisters Chloe and Cali, during the Cat-tacular Adoption Event at Kitty Harbor in West Seattle on Feb. 12. The twins were rescued from a snowbank in Colville, WA - frostbitten and both dealing with hernias. CLICK THE PHOTO ABOVE FOR MORE IMAGES.

“Cat-tacular” adoption event starts off strong with 20 finding a new home; another opportunity to adopt on Sunday

By Ty Swenson

02/12/2011

Kitty Harbor, a rescue, rehabilitation and adoption facility for cats and kittens located at 3422 Harbor Ave s.w., was bustling with soon-to-be adoptive parents and animal shelter/rescue group workers doing their best to find new homes for 50 cats and kittens on Feb. 12.

The Cat-tacular Adoption Event, happening Feb. 12 and 13 from noon to 4 p.m. got off to a good start with 20 cats finding new homes by 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Half of the felines came from Regional Animal Services of King County shelter in Kent while others had a seven hour journey from the Colville Valley Animal Sanctuary north of Spokane in Stevens County.

Pam Smith and Lorraine Schanzenbach brought the cats from Colville in hopes of finding them parents in Seattle. Smith said they have little choice but to come to Kitty Harbor since Stevens County has no county-supported animal control or shelters. In addition, the Spokane shelters are full.

“We don’t know what we would do without Kitty Harbor,” Smith said. “We are a rural community, a poor community … they are looking for barn cats who have a life span of less than a year if they are lucky with coyotes and owls.”

Smith said Kitty Harbor owner Delyn Kosbab has already saved 100 cats from a Stevens County barn life this year. They have been bringing rescues to Kitty Harbor for four years.

Two of the kittens they brought were twin sisters Chloe and Cali. They were found in a snow bank with frostbitten noses and hernias. Smith and Schanzenbach took the sisters to a vet and got them healthy enough for adoption.

“The foster mother who took care of them (in Colville), I called her the night before we came over here (to Kitty Harbor) and she was crying,” Smith said. “She told her husband, ‘I’m not going to be down watching TV tonight, I’m spending the evening with the girls.’”

Chloe and Cali’s foster mother’s last wish was that the bonded pair be adopted together if possible. Smith called her during the event to ask if she would be OK with the twins being split up as it seemed unlikely someone would take them as a pair.

Just as Smith explained that difficult phone call, young couple Micah Deibell and Fiona Everett walked in and decided to adopt the twins.

It was Fiona’s day off and the couple happened to find the adoption event on Craigslist (an online classified ad service).

“I was going to get her a (kitten) for Valentine’s Day,” Deibell said.

“Ya, it’s my Valentine’s present,” Everett said as the couple brought Chloe and Cali from their cages and into a new parent’s embrace.

Kosbab opened Kitty Harbor in 2006, the culmination of a life dedicated to animal rescue.

“I’ve been doing rescue since I was about four years old,” she said. “It’s always been my passion in life.”

Kosbab worked as a high voltage electrician for 27 years, saved her money and sold a rental property so she could purchase the facilty on Harbor Ave. She fixed the building up and turned it into a sanctuary for cats.

She retired as an electrician in 2007 and has ran Kitty Harbor ever since. Initially she was open year round but nowadays the shelter is open from June to December (with exceptions such as this event), during the kitten season.

Kitty Harbor adopts anywhere from 500 to 1000 cats a year, all of which come from rescue groups or animal shelter overflow.

Kosbab says her goal is to, “take the dent out of euthanizing” during the kitten season and “push the responsibility of pet owners to get their animals spayed or neutered and, if something comes up in their life where they can’t keep them, to not dump them on shelters or rescue groups, to expire all their options first.”

Fore more information on Kitty Harbor, visit www.kittyharborseattle.org and if you are in the market for a new feline friend, stop by the facility on Sunday, Feb. 13 from noon to 4 p.m.

Press Release for the event:
CAT-tacular ADOPTION EVENT Feb. 12th & 13th
The best Valentine’s Day gift for you or someone you love is one that cuddles and purrs!

Kitty Harbor and Regional Animal Services of King County are joining forces to bring you a
CAT-tacluar Adoption Event on Feb 12th & 13th, ( Sat & Sun), from 12 to 4 PM. Come on down to Kitty Harbor to meet the fifty plus cats & kittens who be onsite to greet and charm you. All ages, colors and markings. All are spayed or neutered.

Kitty Harbor has reopened just to host this event for Regional Animal Services of King County. They are located at:
3422 Harbor Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98126

By adopting a cat this weekend at Kitty Harbor, you will also help Regional Animal Services of King County be able to accept more owner surrendered cats. On December 5, 2010, due to the increased threat of Green River flooding and thus, possible emergency evacuation, RAS of KC temporarily stopped accepting owner surrendered adult cats. For every cat this is adopted into a loving home, another surrendered cat can be accepted into the shelter. Save nine lives—adopt a cat this weekend!

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